PROPOSED Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series Recovery Strategy for Multi-Species at Risk in Maritime Meadows associated with Garry Oak Ecosystems in Canada Island marble Taylor’s checkerspot Bearded-owl clover Bear’s-foot sanicle Coastal Scouler’s catchfly Golden paintbrush Prairie lupine Purple sanicle Seaside birds-foot lotus September 2005 About the Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series What is the Species at Risk Act (SARA)? SARA is the Act developed by the federal government as a key contribution to the common national effort to protect and conserve species at risk in Canada. SARA came into force in 2003 and one of its purposes is “to provide for the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated, endangered or threatened as a result of human activity.” What is recovery? In the context of species at risk conservation, recovery is the process by which the decline of an endangered, threatened or extirpated species is arrested or reversed, and threats are removed or reduced to improve the likelihood of the species’ persistence in the wild. A species will be considered recovered when its long-term persistence in the wild has been secured. What is a recovery strategy? A recovery strategy is a planning document that identifies what needs to be done to arrest or reverse the decline of a species. It sets goals and objectives and identifies the main areas of activities to be undertaken. Detailed planning is done at the action plan stage. Recovery strategy development is a commitment of all provinces and territories and of three federal agencies — Environment Canada, Parks Canada Agency and Fisheries and Oceans Canada — under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk. Sections 37–46 of SARA (http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/the_act/default_e.cfm) spell out both the required content and the process for developing recovery strategies published in this series. Depending on the status of the species and when it was assessed, a recovery strategy has to be developed within one to two years after the species is added to the List of Wildlife Species at Risk. Three to four years is allowed for those species that were automatically listed when SARA came into force. What’s next? In most cases, one or more action plans will be developed to define and guide implementation of the recovery strategy. Nevertheless, directions set in the recovery strategy are sufficient to begin involving communities, land users, and conservationists in recovery implementation. Cost- effective measures to prevent the reduction or loss of the species should not be postponed for lack of full scientific certainty. The series This series presents the recovery strategies prepared or adopted by the federal government under SARA. New documents will be added regularly as species get listed and as strategies are updated. To learn more To learn more about the Species at Risk Act and recovery initiatives, please consult the SARA Public Registry (http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/) and the web site of the Recovery Secretariat (http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/recovery/default_e.cfm). Recovery Strategy for Multi-Species at Risk in Maritime Meadows associated with Gary Oak Ecosystems in Canada September 2005 Recommended citation: Parks Canada Agency. 2005. Recovery Strategy for Multi-species at Risk in Maritime Meadows Associated with Garry Oak Ecosystems in Canada (proposed). In Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Ottawa: Parks Canada Agency. 98 pps. Additional copies: You can download additional copies from the SARA Public Registry (http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/) National Library of Canada cataloguing in publication data Main entry under title: Recovery Strategy for Multi-Species at Risk in Maritime Meadows associated with Gary Oak Ecosystems in Canada National Library input to come Cover photos: Golden Paintbrush & Bear’s-foot Sanicle © Matt Fairbarns Taylor’s checkerspot © J.Miskelly Également disponible en français sous le titre : Programme national de rétablissement multi-espèces visant les espèces en péril des prés maritimes associés aux chênaies de Garry au Canada © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of the Environment, 2005. All rights reserved. ISBN To come Cat. no. To come Content (excluding the cover photos) may be used without permission, with appropriate credit to the source. Recovery Strategy for Multi-Species at Risk in Maritime Meadows Associated with Gary Oak Ecosystems in Canada [Proposed] Sept 2005 RESPONSIBLE JURISDICTIONS The species addressed within the Maritime Meadows Recovery Strategy occur exclusively within the Province of British Columbia in Canada. The Maritime Meadows Recovery Strategy was developed by the Parks Canada Agency on behalf of the Competent Minister (the Minister of the Environment) in partnership with the Government of British Columbia. i Recovery Strategy for Multi-Species at Risk in Maritime Meadows Associated with Gary Oak Ecosystems in Canada [Proposed] Sept 2005 AUTHORS Carrina Maslovat, R. P. Bio Email: [email protected] Telephone: (250) 592-2733 Matt Fairbarns Email: [email protected] Telephone: (250) 595-2057 on behalf of the: Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team Plants at Risk Recovery Implementation Group ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This document is adapted from a pre-consultation draft prepared by Carrina Maslovat and Matt Fairbarns on behalf of the GOERT Plants at Risk Recovery Implementation Group. Background information for both the island marble and Taylor’s checkerspot strategies was prepared by Crispin Guppy, Norbert Kondla and Lee Shaeffer with funding provided by the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. Members of the Invertebrates at Risk Recovery Implementation Group of the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team, Ann Potter (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife), Dan Grosboll (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife), James Miskelly (University of Victoria), and Scott Hoffman-Black (Xerces Society) reviewed drafts of the island marble and Taylor’s checkerspot strategies. Members of the Invertebrates at Risk Recovery Implementation Group of the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team also reviewed drafts of this strategy. The BC Conservation Data Centre, James Miskelly, Wayne Hallstrom, Brenda Beckwith, Nancy Turner, and Vince Nealis supplied information. Jenifer Penny and Marta Donovan (BC Conservation Data Centre), Trudy Chatwin (BC Ministry of Environment), Hans Roemer (consultant), Adolf Ceska (consultant) and Tracy Fleming (Capital Regional District Parks) supplied information pertaining to plants in this strategy. Staff from a wide range of jurisdictions (refer to Record of Experts Consulted) provided details of ongoing actions, policies and procedures. Herbaria throughout the range of Garry oak and associated ecosystems provided distribution information (refer to Record of Consultation). Members of the Plants at Risk Recovery Implementation Group of the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team including Hans Roemer, Marilyn Fuchs and Mike Miller reviewed drafts of this strategy. Ted Lea, Brenda Costanzo and Kari Nelson provided support and contract management for the development of this recovery strategy. This strategy was funded by the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund. The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund was created by an act of the legislature to preserve, restore, and enhance key areas of habitat for fish and wildlife throughout British Columbia. Anglers, hunters, trappers and guides contribute to the projects of the Trust Fund through license surcharges. Tax-deductible donations to assist in the work of the Trust Fund are also welcomed. ii Recovery Strategy for Multi-Species at Risk in Maritime Meadows Associated with Gary Oak Ecosystems in Canada [Proposed] Sept 2005 PREFACE The national recovery strategy for maritime meadow species at risk addresses the recovery of one extirpated butterfly; the island marble (Euchloe ausonides insulanus), one endangered butterfly; the Taylor’s checkerspot (Euphydryas editha taylori); and seven endangered or threatened plant species: bearded owl-clover (Triphysaria versicolor spp. versicolor), bear’s-foot sanicle (Sanicula arctopoides), coastal Scouler’s catchfly (Silene scouleri ssp. grandis), golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), prairie lupine (Lupinus lepidus var. lepidus), purple sanicle (Sanicula bipinnatifida) and seaside birds-foot lotus (Lotus formosissimus). In Canada, these species occur (or occurred) primarily in Garry oak and associated ecosystems and are largely restricted to low elevation, marine-influenced habitats. Although the range of all species extends into the United States, many of the species are widely disjunct from the US populations. The Species at Risk Act (SARA, Section 37) requires the competent minister to prepare recovery strategies for listed extirpated, endangered or threatened species. The Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team, Province of British Columbia and the Parks Canada Agency led the development of this Recovery Strategy. The proposed strategy meets SARA requirements in terms of content and process (Sections 39-41). It was developed in cooperation or consultation with numerous individuals and agencies: the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team, Province of British Columbia, Environment Canada; numerous aboriginal groups within the range of the species were informed of the strategy and opportunity for involvement; numerous environmental non-government groups such as The Land Conservancy and Nature Conservancy of Canada;